Ladybird Kindergarten
GoodTakes funded hoursBirth to 8+Open for decades
A pre-school in Brentwood for children from birth to 8+, open 09:00 to 15:00, 5 days a week. They take the funded hours. They do not publish prices, so ask. Rated Good by Ofsted in July 2025. Open since 1999, with 24 places.
What it costs
Prices change without notice. Treat these as what to ask about, not a quote.
Funded hours
All three and four year olds are entitled to a free government funded pre-school education from the term following their third birthday.
What childcare usually costs in Essex
This is not this setting's price. It is the median hourly fee across all providers in Essex from the Department for Education's 2025 provider survey. No national data holds what an individual nursery charges, so ring and ask.
Places, hours and the day
Who they take, when they are open, and what a day there includes.
Where it is
CM13 3DZWhat the inspector found
One grade is one visit. A run of them tells you whether it has been good for years or has only just got there.
- 2 May 2025 — Concern: actions taken what Ofsted published
Ofsted inspector, 9 July 2025 · read the full report
What it is like to attend
Children are content, settled and confident in this welcoming setting. When they arrive, children quickly settle into one of the many activities or experiences provided for them. Staff treat the children with kindness and respect and are good role models. They encourage and praise children throughout the day. The provider has high expectations for children's behaviour and has implemented positive behaviour strategies. As a result, children know what is expected of them and are well behaved. They are kind, considerate and polite to one another. For instance, they check if their friends have finished a puzzle before they take it for themselves.
In addition, they support each other during art activities, explaining to one another what they need to do next to create hens made from paper plates.
The provider has a clear vision of what it wants children to learn and achieve and has high expectations for all children. There is a well-thought-out curriculum in place that is adapted according to the needs of the children attending. Key persons plan appropriate next steps in children's learning that build on what they already know and can do. This means that all children receive the support that they need so they can make progress in relation to their starting points.
What Ofsted told them to improve
To further improve the quality of the early years provision, the provider should:
- strengthen the arrangements to share information with supply staff about children's next steps in learning n enhance the supervision and coaching provided for supply staff to raise the quality of teaching to an even higher level.
- 9 July 2025Good Safeguarding: Yes
- 28 February 2025Inadequate Safeguarding: No
- 21 May 2019Good
Rated Good or Outstanding at 2 of the last 3 graded inspections.
Still missing for Ladybird Kindergarten
- What it costs
- Youngest age taken
- Meals
- Nappies
- Waiting list
No dataset holds any of this. Two parents telling us the same thing puts it on the page for whoever looks next.
What to ask them
Some of this is above, from the setting or from parents, and it can go out of date. The rest is in no dataset anywhere. Either way it is worth ten minutes on the phone.
- What does it cost, all in? What is on top: meals, nappies, late pick-up, and what happens if you are late.
- How do you apply my funded hours? Whether they stretch them over the year, and the minimum days you have to book.
- Is there a place for my child's age? Baby rooms fill first and waiting lists are common.
- Who would my child's key person be? And how long have the staff been there. No dataset holds this and it matters more than anything above.
- Can I visit at a busy time? Mid-morning on a weekday tells you far more than an empty room after hours.
Pre-schools within a couple of miles
This one is first. Tick it and one or two others to see them side by side.